Coat form retainer



June 14, 1960 J. H. RICHA EIAL COAT FORM RETAINER Filed Aug. 14, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. John H. Richcz and BY Hunk 5. Hanson.

A 7' TOP/VEYS- June 14, 1960 J. H. RICHA ETAL 2,940,646

COAT FORM RETAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1958 INVENTOR. John H. Ric/7a and Frank 5. Hanson,

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent COAT FORM RETAINER John H. Richa and Frank E. Hanson, both of 800 W. 39th St-, Summit Cleaners, Kansas City, Mo.

Filed Aug. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 755,033

3 Claims. (Cl. 223-71) This invention relates to a coat form retainer and more particularly to a device for holding a hanging garment in a desired manner for securing adjacent overlapping portions of these garments in such a manner that when the garment is hanging sagging will be prevented.

Our invention is particularly adaptable for use in cleaning establishments where garments and the like are placed on hangers after cleaning and pressing, in department stores, mens clothing stores and like places to hold the garments in shape.

The principal object of the present invention is, therefore, to prevent distortion in the lapels of coats and the like whereby such lapels will be prevented from rolling down a greater distance than is desired by the pressing.

Other objects of the invention are to provide means for retaining the front portions or overlapping breast portions of the garment in position one over the other when the garment is suspended on a hanger to prevent sagging and deformation; to provide a coupling member for the front portions of the garment by connecting a button on one front portion to the device and having a portion of the device engaging in the button hole of the other breast portion to retain the latter breast portion over the first breast portion; to provide a device of this character which may be suitable for either double breasted or single breasted garments; to provide a device of this character which may be made from relatively stiff paper, cardboard, plastic, metal or the like which will be quickly and easily applied to the garment and removed therefrom by the user of the garment after it has been delivered to the user; to provide a device of this character which may be used by the owner of the garment for hanging or storing the garment in a closet in the home to retain the garment in shape; to provide a garment form retainer of this character which may be applied to the garment in a cleaning establishment and which will not interfere in placing the same in a paper wrapper surrounding the garment as is the usual practice and still retainthe gar-. ment in proper shape within the container and which will hold the garment in that condition during delivery thereof to the user or owner; to provide the body of the device with a tab for engagement in the button hole of one breast of a double breasted garment and receive the button on that breast portion and a tab for engagement in the button hole of the other breast portion to retain the breast portions in overlapping position, whereby the tabs and button holes in the device are in longitudinal alignment to align with the buttons and button holes in the garment; to provide the body of the garment form with a cut-out portion in the upper longitudinal edge thereof to accommodate for the roll in the lapel of the single breasted or double breasted garment, and to provide a device of this character simple and economical to manufacture.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, we have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of our garment tainer.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the garment with one breast portion partially open to show the attachment of the form retainer to the button of a single breasted garment.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a double breasted garment showing the form retainer in dotted lines attached thereto with one tab extending through the button hole of the outer breast portion.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through the device taken on a line 44, Fig. 3. v

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on a line 5--5-, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a front view of a double breasted garment with one breast portion open to show attachment of the form retainer to the button hole and button of the other breast portion.

Fig. 7 is a front view of a double breasted garment with the garment form retainer in dotted lines and the tab extending through the button hole on the outer breast portion.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a garment form retainer embodying the features of our invention comprising, a longitudinal body 2 made from a single sheet of relatively flat, stiff paper, cardboard, or the like, having :a reducedrend 3 and a base end 4. The form retainer is of substantially flat construction and at slightly toward the tapered or reduced end there is a cut-out portion 5 forming an opening or button hole 6 which extends transversely of the elongated body and in the straight side 7 thereof is an elongated slot 8 for a purpose later described. The cutout portion is substantially semi-circular on the outer or right hand side as indicated at 9 (Fig. 1) to provide for easy access of the buttons therein.

We also provide a second opening or button hole 6' of substantially the same size and shape as the button hole 6 having a slot 8' extending in the same direction and in alignment with slot 8 of the first button hole for a purpose later described.

The upper edge 10 of the body 2 is provided near the base end 4 with an elongated tab or tongue 11 connected to the base by a neck 12 forming slots 13 and 14 on each side thereof. The outer end of the tongue 11 is elongated as indicated at 11. The opposite or reduced end of the body 2 is provided with a like tab or tongue 15 consisting of an elongated body having a neck 16 connected to the body 2 and providing slots or notches 17 and 18 between the elongated tab 15 and the body 2 of the form. The outer end of the tongue 15 is also elongated as indicated at 15 for a purpose later dwcribed. The tab 15 extends in the opposite direction to the tab 11 and is connected to the lower edge 19 of the body near the end 3 thereof and the upper edge 10 is provided substantially above the button holes 6 and 6' with cutout portions or recesses 20 and 20 to accommodate for the roll 21 in the inner lapel 22 of a garment 23 shown as a single breasted garment in Figs. 2 and 3 so that the body will not overlie the lapel 22. The base end 4 is also rounded as indicated at 24 substantially beginning at the cut-out portion or slot 13 to provide for easy access of the tab 11 in the button hole as later described, and to accommodate for the roll 25 in the lapel 26 of a garment 27 shown as a double breasted garment in Figs. 6 and 7, so that the body will not overlie the lapel 26. The upper edge 10 of the body 2 adjoining the slot 14 is also cut away or recessed for easy access of the tab 11 in a button hole. The lower portion of the base end 4 is also rounded as at 28 and the reduced end 3. has its upper and forward edge cut away as at 29 so no sharp corners can catch on the garment. Adjoining the slot form re 17 of tab 15 is afurther cut-out portion 30 and the for wardend oftab '15 is slightly extended outwardly from the extreme end 31 of the body of the device to provide for easy access of the tab 15 in a button hole as later "described.

It will be noted that the slot portions of the tabs 1'1 }15'- areinsubstantial longitudinal alignment across the body member andsuch slot portions are also in substantialalignment with the slots 8 and 8' in the button holeso' arid- 6'. This is tor the purpose'qf holding the double breasted garment in alignment also as willflater be described. i

In application of the device to'asingle breasted garmeat as illustrated in Fig; 2; the -button;l3;2;on breast portion 33 is inserted through-the button hole 6 and' the thread -M (Fig. aywmcamrmam button'on the garment is engaged within the slot 8 intersecting the button hole-6L1 "The-breast portion-55' thn pulled over the device andoverthebreat porti li QQ-andthetab is'ti se'r tedthrou'gh the bat-ton hole 36 on the breast; portion 35 so that'the connecting portion 16engagesagainst-[the edge 31. or the bhttbh'hole and the-aides ofthe tab;

7 be n onnecte v o thc bo y bvv ne k po i ns andabove described. The base i-port-ion of the bodyof the device rnerely extendshorizontallyacross the inside of the breast-portion 3 5 as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig.-

7 3' to give assistance ii -retainingthe garment'in; proper shape? The button hole ois provided to accommodate garments of=diiferent siz e. F-or'ins'tancethe -breast portion of the garment is large the button 32--may be insertedin the hole 6'; in other avords -ap lurality of button holes may benprovided to adapt theietainep to V garments of-difierent size. 7

In, application otthe formtothe double breasted coat 27 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the tab 11 is -inserted through the button hole 3-9 on the' breast portion 40. The button 41 on breastportion 40 is engagedin the buttonz hole' 6: and the breast portion- 42 ef'the'co'a-t Z1 is-extended over-the breast portion- 49 and oyer -thefor m retainer/and the tab-f151-inserted through the-button hole 43 on'gthe; breast portion 42in the same manneras described in: connection with-asingle .br'easted coat so that the form retainer will lie behind the breast portion 42 asshown in dotted lines in Fig; 7. In this application "off-the retainer the-extension 11' extends underneath theedge; 44 of the breast portion 40 to retain the edge in ltewill be apparent-from the above description thatour saving labor and material in constructing the deyice and expense thereof;

s It will be further obvious that; the tabs forinsertion of-thel button-holes ofboth forms of coat are easily insestableand' hold the garment, in the desired form withont distortion asV-the t'abs are at all times in alignment ,with the-bo'cly Zof the device. There is no;swinging or distortion of-anypart of thef orm retainer application to the garment and istherefore readily usable repeatedly r l i to e ga ment e th r nr l a ingss abew: 'o bir s 1 05 W?! of th v ara eat in h homewlrile the garment storedin a closet to retain the shape thereof when not devicem'ay be made from various forms off-material and may be cut. from a singlesheet of such material, thus without insertion of the button 41 in the button hole 6 or 6'. It is preferable, however, to use the button and button holes as above described.

It will be understood from the foregoing that we have illustrated the one form of garment form retainer suitable for our purpose butw e do not wish to limit it to the specific forms shown as other forms may be utilized without departing from the spirit of our 'invention.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A form retainer for a garment of-double, breasted type comprising, an elongated substantially flat body of a single sheet ofrelatively stilt-material 'for insertion between the overlappipg front portions of the garment, said body having upper and lower edges and having the end portion reduced in width, means spaced from said end portion for coupling said body with a button on the unde lyin r rqntpq t o o th s ment a ongu extendin m he ai e e r-Qts reducedjend por iqnl o ea a 'ingini he button-h l of h o rly ng frontrorrt bf lsa d. a ment, and on u qext i na pwardly from -upp r d in a t e other end of id body-0; en a ei t e b to ho e of sunderlying por of saidtrontportionofthe garment, the spacing of the last named tongue relative to the coupling means corres qndi ;t e,spacingv b e th bu to and ton hole of the underlying portion of the garm ent, said tongues id iig s ot e ween he q y and tongue and said trin ues san elo gat dp t iq n the endsgea nsl marge 9 the body nds d upl ggrmea being 111 mania a ig men Withth la e part qn -hisai torrents a a -'2-, f mi taine tart g rmen s-of deu e rcasted sin s ee o l t v r stifi material for insert on be e n th ov r pp n from P t on ott e g rmen provided i h l ve s;s dbodyh ing upp n lo e dge n havin an end por on u d 7 in w d h. mean p ed r m s en p t on r o p i i d body w th a but on o he nd n m PP t Qn th a menta tongue e end n f rnt lower geo sa d r du and bort on fc n a in rin h t o ho e ofithe overlyingfront portion .of said garment, and a tongue extending hpwardlyfrom the upper edge near the other end: of said body for engaging in the button hole of theunderlying portion of said front portion of the garment, the spacing o f the last named tongue relative to the coupling meanscoresponding to the spacing between the button andbutton hole of the underlying portion of the garment, a d on es b in c e to. t e] y by eck p rtion an said on u aving an cngatcd p t n ex n in lengthwise of the body and havinga slot between the es and o y, sa d pl ng me i g i -al mentwith the said slots, the upper edge of thebody havingrap cut-away portion above said coupling means to accommodate the lapel on the underlying-portion ,-of;'the garment, said coupling means including an opening, in said body through whicjhthebutton extends, said opening haying one straight side and a curve portionv forming subs an il y a h l c rc a d a ght s d be ng in r e by; a slot extending toward said reducedtend portion and ihfla t d nal.al mnentw th sa lots b twe n th said ag ues' and ai b idyt 3- l a o m retai e f r a arment havi g o ppiag f om porti siv ith m t r:v ndlin e lapels ha i g ol ed PQ iQE bu on on on fth v r ap in Po io s a a button hole Qntheot er o e app ng p r omaa loned sub an ial y flat body mad om a, s ng e Zsheet f. rela i ely stififlmate a avigg e end po t onr d qed in width and having uppertand lower edges, an integral qnsua p aa rw hr id body an ex ndinafrom t e w r d 'o 'said reduc d. ndfpor said tongue havn n; on at d po n ex d eagthwise of t e ody and being secured on one longitudinaledge to said body by a neck portion, said edge of the elongated portion of the tongue being spaced from said body and extending outwardly from the end of the body and in longitudinal alignment therewith, and providing a slot for engaging the bnttonhole on the other of said overlapping portions to retain the said tongue therethrough, and means on said body spaced from said end portion for coupling said body with said garment to hold said garment portions in overlapping relation, said means including an opening in said body through which the button extends, sm'd opening being intersected by a slot extending toward said reduced end portion and in longitudinal alignment with the slot formed by said tongue and adapted for receiving the thread connecting the button to the garment and for retaining the button in position through said opening, said upper edge of the body having a concave curved recess above said opening for accommodating said rolled portion of said inner lapel so that said body will not overlie said lapel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

